The Kitchen Maker Australian O'pen Skiff Championships deliver a standout week on Sydney Harbour
by Bevan McKavanagh 28 Jan 00:23 PST
19-24 January 2026
With the O'pen Skiff World Championships scheduled for early next year, The Kitchen Maker 2026 Australian O'pen Skiff Championships, presented by VAIKOBI, were always shaping up to be a major event. Held on Sydney Harbour out of Manly Yacht Club, the regatta lived up to expectations, attracting 83 sailors across three fleets and delivering a week of high-quality racing and development.
Competitors travelled from across Australia, including Western Australia, North Queensland, Victoria, and Christmas Island, with additional representation from New Zealand. Adding further depth to the fleet, several top-ranked Optimist sailors stepped into the O'pen Skiff class for the first time at national level and performed strongly.
The championship fleet comprised 44 sailors in Gold Fleet, 35 in Silver Fleet, and 5 sailors in Green Fleet. Gold and Silver Fleets raced on the same course with varying course lengths, while Green Fleet catered for younger sailors new to racing in a separate area away from the main course.
The event began with two days of coaching, led by multi-time O'pen Skiff World Champion Breanne Wadley, before transitioning into four days of championship racing. Coaching was well supported, with approximately 90 per cent of the racing fleet participating on the opening day, providing an excellent opportunity for visiting sailors to familiarise themselves with Sydney Harbour conditions.
Following a series of tragic shark incidents in Sydney during the coaching period, the organising committee worked closely with Australian Sailing, Surf Life Saving Australia, and local authorities to implement a comprehensive shark incident response plan. After consultation with families, the event proceeded with additional safety measures in place, including increased support boats and the removal of compulsory capsize and adventure activities. The final coaching session saw near-full participation.
Racing commenced on Wednesday in light to moderate east to south-east conditions, allowing three races to be completed before the regatta dinner at the Boiler House at Q-Station. The evening was highlighted by the attendance of Australian Sailing CEO and two-time Olympic gold medallist Malcolm Page, who addressed the sailors and shared his Olympic medals with competitors.
Thursday brought challenging conditions, with a strengthening southerly prompting an earlier start to racing. Gold Fleet completed three races, while Silver and Green Fleet sat out the final race due to wind limits. Gusts reaching 30 knots led to the abandonment of afternoon racing. Friday delivered a full schedule, with five races completed across both fleets.
By the final day, clear contenders had emerged. Leon Wei-Petit (Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club) led the Gold Fleet standings, Western Australian sailor and 2025 O'pen Skiff Under-13 World Champion Kason Puls also remained firmly in podium contention. Silver Fleet racing remained exceptionally close, with only minimal points separating second through fifth place.
Saturday concluded the championship in classic Sydney north-easterly conditions, providing flat water and a steadily building breeze. Four final races completed a demanding regatta, with Gold Fleet finishing 15 races and Silver Fleet 14 races over the series.
The Kitchen Maker 2026 Australian O'pen Skiff Championships showcased the depth of talent in the class, strong participation from across the region, and the continued strength of junior pathway sailing in Australia.
Special mention goes out to:
Major Sponsor: Darren McKavanagh from THE KITCHEN MAKER
Presenting Sponsor: VAIKOBI
Principal Race Office: Steve Tucker for volunteering his time and expertise for the entire regatta.
Protest Committee Chair: John Allan for also volunteering his time and expertise for the entire regatta.
Overall (Gold Fleet)
1st Leon-Wei Petit
2nd Luca De Giosa
3rd Kaison Puls
Female (Gold Fleet)
1st Emma Tomkins
2nd Nora Leon-Hernandez
3rd Francesca Del Favero
U13 (Gold Fleet)
1st Luca De Diosa
2nd Zachary Taite
3rd Summer Torbet
U17 (Gold Fleet)
1st Leon-Wei Petit
2nd Kaison Puls
3rd Nathaniel McCarthy
Overall (Silver Fleet)
1st Hugo Fergus
2nd Sebastain Cockle
3rd Benjamin Reed
Female (Silver Fleet)
1st Lucy Smith
2nd Neve Quin
3rd George Nolle
U13 (Silver Fleet)
1st Hugo Fergus
2nd Sebastain Cockle
3rd Benjamin Reed
U17 (Silver Fleet)
1st Arthur Labat
2nd Harry Easton
3rd George Nolle
Full results available here.